Side Effects May Vary

I picked up this book because I LOVED Dumplin'. I was excited to read another fun, flowing, powerful story by Julie Murphy. And maybe it's because she was still finding her voice, or maybe this was just the exact novel she wanted to write, but I didn't find what I was looking for in it. I found this book really disappointing in a few ways. The premise is that Alice has cancer. Alice is dying and she basically wants to complete her bucket list with the help of her childhood friend, Harvey. But then she goes in remission, so now what?

The first thing I didn't really understand or enjoy was the fact that her entire bucket list was just a list of revengeful acts. Alice wanted to get back at people that had wronged her instead of enjoying the little time she thought she had left. I didn't find this entirely realistic. I cannot claim to know what it feels like to have an expiration date, thankfully. So I don't know. Whatever.

To go along with that thought, I found Alice to be exceptionally selfish, bratty, and just a mean girl. Honestly, she used her best friend, played with his feelings, and tried to ruin multiple people's lives knowingly. She's a spoiled, mean girl and I don't feel she gets any redemption at all.

The last two pages saved this book for me. Harvey's character seemed real to me. He had a personality and a backstory that I felt was believable. The ending that he got was redeeming of the entire book, although I do have reservations. But I'm brushing them aside because I like Julie Murphy.

Would I recommend this book?
Put this book down and go read Dumplin' instead.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise appealed to me. A teenage girl gets diagnosed with terminal cancer and decides to complete a ‘bucket list' to pack as many new experiences into her tragically short life as possible. So although it is a depressing subject, I expected the book to be full of the joy of life.

Um, no. Do not be fooled. The bucket list was hardly featured in this novel at all. You never really get to see what made the list, and the things she does tick off mostly concern petty teenage revenge on her ex-boyfriend and ballet ‘frenemy.'
I don't know about you, but my bucket list would include more of: “try every flavour Ben and Jerry's ice-cream and make amends to those I have harmed” and less: “humiliate my ex-boyfriend and steal the dreams away from my high-school nemesis.”

Which brings me to the character of Alice (said bitter and petty teenage girl). She was horrid, horrid, horrid. I have not met a character that so annoyed me since the whiny and helpless Bella Swan of Twilight fame. I expected to have a degree of sympathy for Alice, considering her awful situation, but she was the most spiteful and selfish creature in my experience of YA fiction.

The way she uses (and abuses) her ‘love interest' – Harvey, is appalling. She leads him on then blows him off. He is good enough to drive her places and keep her company when she is dying, but as soon as she finds out the cancer is in remission she feels too much pressure over his love for her and drops him like a hot potato. Not cool Alice!

And that is another thing – when any normal, sane person finds out their cancer is in remission, I expect there would be much whooping and cheering and happiness all around. But Alice seems disappointed she is going to live. Rather then seeing this as a second chance at living a better life, she sulks and moans and skips school. I really felt like slapping her and screaming: “Be grateful, you undeserving bitch!”

While I think my position on the main character is pretty clear, I liked Harvey. His only fault was loving Alice.

The story had so much potential, I am still reeling from my disappointment.

egyedi megközelítése a rákos beteg sztorinak, de sajnos annyira picsafejű aladár volt a főszereplő, hogy inkább irritált a történet és ezért elég nyögvenyelősen csúszott. meg az sem igazán tetszett, hogy a két nézőpont mellett két idősíkon is haladtunk - abszolút követhető volt, ezzel nem volt gondom, de annyira fölöslegesnek éreztem, hogy ez is csak tovább rontott az élményen.
az írás stílusa, az olvasmányosság most is szuper, de a dumplin' után csalódás volt, sokkal jobbra számítottam.